Different
by DarkArts27
Summary: "The level of admiration and respect - and love - he has for her still astounds him, and he feels a wave of emotion come over him as he notices what she's doing." H/N fluff.


**A/N: Hi, hi. This is my first foray into Silent Witness fanfiction, because even though I've watched it for years, I always thought I'd massacre it. Which, I probably have. But let me know what you think either way, I do love reviews :)  
>Disc: The all holy BBC has the rights to this splendid show of course. The only thing I own at the moment is my car and a bad haircut. <strong>

A contented sigh leaves her mouth, rolling over plump lips and mingling with the air in the room. His eyes meet hers, gaze both mirthful and questioning, and she smiles in return, cheeks bunching and eyes crinkling.

The dull echo of rain hitting the windows and roof dampens the easy silence in the room, and the shadows at the edge of the office don't seem as ominous as they have in the past.

Her breath catches as his foot nudges her leg in a silent gesture - whether of acknowledgement or questioning, she isn't quite sure – and she gently kicks his in return. She can feel the course texture of his sock on her calf and find it tickles somewhat. Perhaps its wearer had something to do with that, his toes curling and wriggling against her to initiate a response.

A low, throaty laugh fills the room as she shakes him off and kicks again, his theatrical cry of pain only increasing her amusement at this ridiculous situation.

Late Friday night and they're stuck together in the office completing reports. She still has a good hour of work she'd like to complete. She has her suspicions about him, thinking he's been on that same paragraph for the last 10 minutes. Perhaps he's being kind or maybe he really is that slow tonight. She can't blame him either way, the week has been arduous and stressful for them both, and she isn't exactly 'powering through'. Still. He is a curious man sometimes.

Her phone buzzes and she can almost see his ears prick up out of curiosity. She reads it quickly and types a short reply - it's nothing too important – before she replaces it on her desk. He makes a remark about it being one of the unsuitables and she laughs and shakes her head at his foolishness.

He really has no idea.

No sodding idea that she's left that life behind and now spends her days trying not to jump him in the office or at a bar or at his house or anywhere they spend time together. Which is everywhere.

She's older now. There are expectations and desires that can't be met with men that (aren't him) are unreliable and don't have time for more than a few tumbles in the sheets.

She needs more than that now.

Wants more.

He stands slowly, stretching his arms, back and neck in a manner she finds graceful and delicious, and he grabs his coffee cup, shaking it in her direction in an unspoken question. Her eyebrows rise a fraction and she feels herself smile at his kindness and predictability. Her cup is in his hands before she can stop him and say she'd join him, but she just murmurs a quiet thanks and leans back in her chair, eyes raking over the ceiling as her arms stretch out above her.

She hears clattering in the kitchen and figures she'd best join him when the sound of breaking glass echoes through the office. He calls her name softly but she's already there. There's glass and instant coffee all over the floor and he looks so bizarre standing in the middle of it, trying not to move his feet.

She chuckles and calls him a git and tells him that now it's his turn to buy the coffee. And the new jar. His eyes roll and he thanks her when she reaches for the dustpan and broom. She can tell he's having a bit of trouble balancing, but when she kneels down to sweep up the mess he wobbles somewhat, and she feels his hands grip her shoulders automatically, his thumbs both pressing gently above her collarbones.

He finds he can't help but laugh at how ridiculous he really is, and she joins him as one hand grips his calf so she doesn't topple forward, dropping the brush in the process.

He looks down at her as she retrieves it and uses the back of her hand to brush her fringe out of her eyes. The level of admiration and respect (and love) he has for her still astounds him, and he feels a wave of emotion come over him as he notices that she's brushing off the top of his socks and making sure there's no glass in them.

Her fingers deftly retrieve a few small pieces and place them in the dustpan with the rest before patting the top of his feet with her hands and breathing out an accomplished 'all done'. She glances up at him and is taken aback by the look on his face. His eyes are on her and her alone, with a sense of awe radiating from them, his mouth turned up at the edges.

She rises slowly, the comforting weight of his hands still pressed gently against her shoulders keeping her near to him. He still has that look as he pulls her close, his arms sliding down and wrapping around hers, tucking her head into his chest. Her arms wrap around him automatically, playing with the soft fabric of his sweater as she breathes in his comforting scent.

He murmurs something against her hair about her being the best woman he knows and presses a kiss there, lingering a little too long and smoothing his hands over her back.

They've shared plenty of hugs in the past and this one is almost the same. But it's different. More intimate. Full of promise.

When they separate, both feel acutely the absence of contact between them, but both remain that little bit too stubborn to act on it.

She tips out the glass and coffee amalgamation into the bin as he continues with his intended task, having luckily broken the jar _after_ dishing out their share.

Her mug is handed to her and they both have quick sips before heading back to their desks, in stride that bit closer to each other than before, elbows and forearms touching with each step.

That night they work for another hour before calling it quits, having no more coffee to sustain them further into the night. Coats are donned and bags are packed, and they head down to their cars together, sharing a hug and a kiss on the cheek before both heading their separate ways.

Tonight it's almost the same as usual. But it's different.

**A/N: Hope it wasn't too bad, but I'd love it if you could review and just let me know what you think :)**


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